Community Advisor

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of autistic people and their families? We're looking for a Community Advisor to join our National Advice Line Team!

Working closely with the Senior Community Advisor, you will provide free, accessible and needs-led support to autistic people, families and professionals. The Advice Line supports thousands of enquiries each year and plays a vital role in shaping wider Scottish Autism services and community supports. Every day brings opportunities to listen, advise, empower and connect people with the information and support they need.

Every day is different. You may be providing autism-specific information and advice, listening to lived experiences, or helping families and professionals navigate the wider support landscape.

This role offers a blend of home working and travel to support outreach and engagement across autistic/autism communities, as well as our commissioned support services. Community engagement varies according to local needs and service priorities, so a degree of flexibility is required.

• Develop and deliver advice, information, support and guidance to autistic people, their families and professionals via our advice line.
• Support autistic people, and their parents and carers to access our free to access community advice services and events, such as Get Set 4 Autism and Click and Connect.
• Promote awareness and understanding of the needs of autistic people amongst parents and carers, as well as communities.
• Identify gaps in access to information and support, to inform development of community advice services.
• Support the delivery of new projects and community services as they develop.

• You’ll have professional autism practice experience, with the ability to translate complex theoretical knowledge into accessible and practical advice. We welcome lived experience of autism, supported by a strong foundation of professional practice, and an understanding of the diversity of autistic experience.
• Contemporary knowledge and understanding of autism, autistic people and their families across the lifespan, with the ability to provide enabling, person-centred support that empowers individuals.
• Experience of supporting individuals in complex situations, including those experiencing heightened levels of distress or confusion.
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills, with the ability to identify individual underlying needs, explore options and pathways collaboratively, and provide meaningful, person-centred support, recognising that immediate resolution may not always be possible.
• Ability to work across a diverse range of settings, delivering and facilitating individual and group-based support tailored to the needs of different audiences, including autistic people, and parents or carers.
• Ability to self-manage and organise diverse work streams.
• Sound knowledge of education, health and social service contexts across Scotland as they apply to autistic people and their families.
• Align with our organisational values.

Scottish Autism are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package.

At Scottish Autism, people are at the heart of everything we do. As Scotland’s leading autism charity, we are committed to creating an inclusive culture where difference is embraced, individual voices are valued, and everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our work is guided by four core values:
Belonging, Empowering, Curiosity and Integrity, which shape how colleagues support autistic people, work together and drive positive change.

We value diversity and welcome applications from people with lived experience of autism.